


Liar

by Shekiyah



Category: Peaky Blinders (TV)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Comfort/Angst, Married Couple
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-16
Updated: 2020-10-16
Packaged: 2021-03-08 21:42:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 841
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27043687
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shekiyah/pseuds/Shekiyah
Relationships: Tommy Shelby/Reader
Kudos: 45





	Liar

You stiffened as Tommy came into the room, walking towards you as he shrugged his blazer off. You had already given up on waiting for him and was in the process of removing your jewelry onto your vanity counter.

"Good evening, Mrs. Shelby," he said as he pecked your cheek and walked past you to the bathroom, leaving his blazer on the floor and deftly unbuttoned his vest.

"Good evening, husband," you watched him closely, your eyes narrowed as he disappeared around the corner. "What has you coming to bed so late?"

You watched the doorway as you moved to the bed and removed your dress. You changed into your nightgown and let the silky slip flow over your head. You smoothed it down your body, tossing your old dress aside.

"I've been in the study for hours reading over paperwork," Tommy called from the bathroom.

_Lie._

He returned, rounding the corner as you let your hair loose. Tommy regarded you cooly as he rounded the bed to his side, the one closest to the door. Just like he would nudge you the farthest from the street when you walked together, or he would always sit facing the doors at a restaurant. It was just his way.

He unbuttoned his white shirt and tossed it aside as he loosened his trousers and sat on the bed, watching you.

"I was at the stables with Charlie and Curly before that, looking over the new mare."

_Lie._

Now that he was in front of you, you knew it immediately. Over the years you had finally found Tommy Shelby's tic, the tell he had when he was lying to your face. It was so small, so slight, that it was hardly a tell at all.

Tommy Shelby lied when he was steadfast in what he was saying. His tell was that he was still.

Most people would fidget when they lied; Tommy would become absolutely still and look you dead in the eyes when he lied, as if he dared you to notice that he stopped breathing for the moment it took to push the story out.

Even if you hadn't known that he had only been home all of thirty minutes, the second lie sealed it for you.

"Want to tell me what you were really doing?" You asked as you sat beside him on the bed and crossed your arms. "Or am I to be the good wife that doesn't call you out on your bullshit?"

"What are you talking about?" His brows clenched as he looked over your face, searching.

"Tommy Shelby," you chided, "I know, just as this whole house knows, that you only just arrived home all of half an hour ago. Mary bright you tea in your study."

His head dipped to his chest as he listened, his eyes roaming the bed as he mirrored you and crossed his arms.

"Felt like hours," he mumbled as he eyed you sideways. "I don't know what to tell you, I must have been off with my time."

"Maybe, but you weren't with Charlie and Curly at the stables, either," you grumbled.

Tommy's head shot up at his eyes squinted at you as he looked over your sour expression.

"Bloody hell woman," he breathed. "Is my sweet wife having me followed?"

He chuckled at his own joke, but stopped as he noticed your venomous glare. He uncrossed his arms and left his palms up on his thighs.

"I don't like when you lie, Thomas," you said. "I don't know what's going on in your head."

"It's a messy place in there," he hummed. "I don't like you dirtying your hands."

"My hands are already dirty by association," you snapped.

Tommy reached over and uncrossed your arms as he crawled over you so that he looked you in the eye, nose to nose.

"Mrs. Shelby," he uttered. "Would you let a man his peace for a night? I'm protecting you in the only way I know how."

You softened, looking into the storm behind the crystal blue eyes that looked back at you. Something was wrong but he wasn't ready to tell you about it, not tonight.

"Fine," you relented.

He licked his lips as he sighed, melting on top of you. His arms dropped to cradle you as his head sunk to your chest.

**"Please don't lie to me again, I can't take it,"** you mumbled into his hair as he stretched out on top of you, his arms wrapped around your middle as his head bury in your chest.

His body engulfed yours as he lay. Your hands ran through his hair as he nuzzled deeper before he turned his head to put his ear to your heart.

"I try not to bother you with what's in my head," he sighed.

"Not telling me bothers me more than telling me," you chide softly. "And then we have two heads that need cleared out rather than one."

A ghost of a smile curved on his lips.

"I'll keep that in mind."


End file.
